Chris Sargent is headed to affiliated minor league baseball after signing with the San Diego Padres. The Raptors posted the news Sunday afternoon on Instagram.

“Sarge is one of the most talented players I’ve seen, a real dual-threat catcher,” Ogden manager Evan Parker said in the post. “I love this kid and couldn’t be happier for him.”

Sargent, 25, played 171 games over two seasons with the Raptors. The Alabama native put himself in the top tier of stars in Ogden’s independent era and otherwise this season, hitting 35 home runs and driving in 130 runs in 80 games. He’s the Raptors’ single-season home run king and, at least currently, has the Pioneer League’s record for single-season RBIs.

Sargent hit .384 with 21 doubles and a 1.185 OPS this season.

The team, meanwhile finished up a six-game home series with a 3-3 split against the Rocky Mountain Vibes after the visitors claimed Sunday’s finale 10-5.

With 12 games left in the regular season, playoff scenarios remain the same. Because scintillating Oakland (65-19, 28-8 second half) and strong Missoula (59-25, 26-10) are leading the second half in the same positions in which they claimed first-half playoff bids, the remaining two playoff spots should come down to the teams with the third- and fourth-best overall records.

Ogden is 21-15 in the second half, trailing Oakland by seven games and Missoula by five.

Ogden (47-36) and Idaho Falls (47-36, 20-16) are tied for third in the overall standings; that pair continues tracking as leaders for the final playoff bids. They’re each 2 1/2 games ahead of Yuba-Sutter (45-39) and 4 1/2 games ahead of Boise (43-41).

Most interestingly, however, is Ogden’s remaining schedule. The Raptors hit the road this week for three games at Billings (37-47) and three more against Idaho Falls. Then Ogden hosts Boise from Sept. 2-7 to conclude the regular season.

So playoff baseball begins early, in a manner of speaking, as the Raptors taking on Idaho Falls and Boise over the final nine games will put a fine focus on each of the three teams vying to make the playoffs.

Crucially, then, the Raptors found a way to win Saturday night’s game against the Vibes despite trailing 9-6 in the middle of the eighth inning.

Cole Jordan hit his second solo homer of the game in the eighth and Connor Bagnieski singled in Carson Tucker to make it 9-8.

Nik Cardinal struck out two in the ninth but one hit and one walk helped Rocky Mountain push across what felt like an insurance run. But the Raptors had a rally up their sleeves against former Ogden reliever Quinn Waterhouse, who had taken over in the eighth to preserve his team’s lead.

Damian Stone walked and Elliott Good singled to open the bottom of the ninth, and each advanced on a wild pitch. From there, all Ogden needed was balls to the outfield: Cole Jordan hit a sacrifice fly, True Fontenot an RBI single and Kenny Oyama another sacrifice fly, the latter sending Tucker to the plate for the walk-off, winning run and 11-10 victory.